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Swiss Barley & Vegetable Soup (Gerstensuppe), Lighter Home-Style
Recipe

Swiss Barley & Vegetable Soup (Gerstensuppe), Lighter Home-Style

Starter • Switzerland

This everyday Swiss-style Gerstensuppe uses pearl barley for a hearty, satisfying starter without relying on cream or heavy meats. A little smoked paprika adds gentle depth in a practical, weeknight-friendly way.

Why smarter

Pearl barley brings filling fibre and a creamy texture naturally, so the soup feels rich without cream. More vegetables boost volume and flavour while keeping the dish balanced and lighter.

Chef tip

For the most even texture, rinse the pearl barley briefly and keep the simmer gentle—fast boiling can make the broth cloudy and the veg break down too quickly.

Soft line

Simple, warming, and just right for everyday Swiss comfort.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Canola oil 2.000 tsp canola oil
2 Onion, finely diced 1.000 medium onion
3 Leek (white and light green parts), washed and sliced 1.000 small leek
4 Carrots, diced 2.000 medium carrots
5 Celery stalks, diced 2.000 stalks celery
6 Garlic, finely chopped 2.000 cloves garlic
7 Pearl barley (Rollgerste), rinsed 120.000 g pearl barley
8 Vegetable stock (low-salt if possible) 1200.000 ml vegetable stock
9 Bay leaf 1.000 bay leaf
10 Dried thyme 1.000 tsp dried thyme
11 Smoked paprika (optional but recommended) 0.500 tsp smoked paprika
12 Potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 cm) 250.000 g potatoes waxy potatoes work well
13 White beans, drained and rinsed 200.000 g cannellini beans or other mild white beans
14 Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar 1.000 tsp vinegar for brightness at the end
15 Fresh parsley, chopped 2.000 tbsp parsley
16 Black pepper black pepper to taste
17 Salt salt to taste (depending on stock)

Method

  1. Heat the canola oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, leek, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned.
  3. Stir in garlic, thyme and smoked paprika (if using) for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add rinsed pearl barley and stir for 1 minute to coat in the vegetables.
  5. Pour in the stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
  6. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the barley doesn’t stick.
  7. Add the diced potatoes and simmer 12–15 minutes more, until both potatoes and barley are tender.
  8. Stir in the white beans and warm through for 2–3 minutes.
  9. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in vinegar and parsley, then season with black pepper and salt as needed.